[et_pb_section][et_pb_row][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text] <\/p>\n
Have you ever gone for a walk and come across a charming mini-library on the edge of the street?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n I recently visited Seattle and would take a couple of walks a day with my sister and her dog, allowing me to take in the beautiful scenery away from the mountains and coast. Each house was different, some had a unique and colorful garden filled with native and non-native plants, and some had walls of ivy; what really stuck with me was that every few houses were an adorable little free library brimming with books for all ages. While I\u2019ve seen little free libraries here and there on the east coast, I had never seen quite so many within a 2-mile radius. As a visitor, even I could feel these neighbors\u2019 strong sense of community.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n So, I decided to build my own and put it in my front yard here in Maryland.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Little free libraries are an easy and creative way to get more connected with your community and your neighbors. The slogan of each is to \u201cTake a book. Share a book.\u201d The <\/span>Little Free Library<\/span><\/a> organization aims to encourage community-building, inspire readers, and make books more accessible for all, thanks to a global network of 100,000+ volunteer-led book exchanges.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The pandemic and the prevalence of environmental crises have irrevocably altered how our world functions; for the most part, we have shifted towards a more isolated society. In today\u2019s world, it\u2019s rare to see kids playing in the streets and neighbors to be out in their yards talking to one another. Due to our fears, most of us tend to stay indoors or keep to ourselves instead of getting to know the other people living around us. These mini libraries are a great way to connect with the strangers who live next door as they stop to peruse the selection of books in your front yard.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n These libraries not only unite neighborhoods and communities, they also promote literacy and combat censorship. In the United States, <\/span>less than 50% of US adults read above an 8th-grade level<\/span><\/a>. On a more general note, with the rise of technology, only a small percentage of adults make time to read on a regular basis. While a mini library in someone\u2019s front yard may not magically remedy this, it is a great way to promote reading and give people opportunities to grab a book they otherwise wouldn\u2019t have.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Not to mention, little free libraries are a sustainable way to broaden your book horizon. Not only are you recycling books instead of buying new ones, you\u2019re also coming across books you\u2019ve never heard of or genres you\u2019ve written off. Who knows, maybe a little free library is the gateway to a community book club!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n You don\u2019t have to stock your library exclusively with books; some libraries offer packets of native wildflowers and plants for others to pick up and plant in their own yards. Pollinator Week is currently ongoing. The Pollinator Partnership created and oversees this annual event to raise awareness of pollinator health. This year\u2019s celebration focuses on the connections between climate and pollinators; pollinators are at serious risk as their food and homes are deteriorating as temperatures and natural disasters are increasing. Planting <\/span>pollinator-friendly native plants<\/span><\/a> is a simple and effective way to help your local pollinators.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\nWhy build a little free library?\u00a0<\/b><\/h3>\n
Want to build one?\u00a0<\/b><\/h3>\n